Management Theory and Organizational Communication

Classical or Scientific Management Theory

• Industrial revolution in western culture late 1800s.

• Mechanization and manufacturing as the means of production.

• How to organize workplace.

• Henri Fayol, Frederick Taylor, Max Weber.

• Specialization, Standardization, Predictability

• Taylor- one best way to do a job in certain amount of time.

• Identify right person for the job, the one best way to do the job, and precise and effective training.

• Fayol – managers alone have the responsibility to determine strategic planning and coordination of task and resources.

• Highly structured organizational hierarchies.

• Centralized control.
  

• Equitable or fair pay.

• Clear rules

• Weber – German sociologists – theory of bureaucracy.

• Ultimate form an organization should take, impersonal (knowledge and rational)

• Mc Gregor – Theory X and Theory Y.

• X – employees are seen as unmotivated, resistant to change, avoiding responsibility.

• Y – maximize human potential and meet basic needs of employee.

• Beliefs that might influence manager’s behavior.